Neither Fish Nor Fowl
by emesem
Summary: Kisame Hoshigaki could handle blood. He could handle murder. He could even handle betraying his village and running off to join a terrorist organization. But a little sister? No freaking way.


**Chapter One: The First Born**

"An older brother is older. A big brother looks out for you and smiles when you walk into a room."

― Lynda Mullaly Hunt, _Fish in a Tree_

. . .

Kisame was seven years old when he found out his mother was pregnant with his replacement.

He couldn't wrap his head around it for the longest time. He was a good boy, well behaved even, and after years of careful training he had managed to earn top marks at the Academy. Kisame just didn't understand why there had to be _another_ child around to soak up all his mother's attention all of a sudden.

It wasn't like he got to see her every day to begin with. Kisame lived with his grandma on the outskirts of the Hoshigaki Compound, tucked away in her ancient little wooden shack like a badly kept secret. His mother lived at the very center of the compound in a nice house, close to the city center but far away from Kisame.

Kisame knew he must have done something horrible when he was little. His mother wouldn't have left him otherwise, he was certain of it. She was too kind for that. Even though he was seven now and too big to be carried, she still let him sit in her lap and read him bedtime stories every year on his birthday just like she always had. Kisame looked forward to March 18th more than any other day of the year. It was the only time he was allowed to spend the entire day with his mother, who he usually saw no more than once or twice a year.

His mother's new husband, Kōjin, didn't like having Kisame around. He said Kisame made him angry, but Kisame knew better than that. He made him _scared_.

Maybe that was why the other kids in the class called him a monster.

Kisame could never be sure. He wasn't too good at making friends just yet. His classmates were older, scarier kids with hard eyes and plenty of secrets. All Kisame had to get by with was his father's old katana and the water jutsus his grandmother had taught him. Even so, he was one of the best students in his class. His senseis all thought he was going to do great things for their village.

 _So why does Mama want to replace me?_ Kisame wondered as he watched his mother, Hama, struggling to put together a brand new bassinet on his grandmother's dusty tile floor. They always met at Kisame's house, and never the other way around.

The bassinet was a soft, petal pink and decorated with ribbons and tiny teddy bears. Kisame was almost jealous. His own bed was old and rickety, having been occupied by his hulking beast of a father for years before his death. So the stupid new baby got a comfortable bed _and_ all his mother's attention?!

Frankly, Kisame was appalled and beginning to lose all faith in the universe.

"Mama," He called, "How do you know the new baby is going to be a girl? What if you have another boy instead?"

"Well," Hama replied, smoothing back her long, silvery braid, "It's a feeling I've had for a long time. When I went to the hospital, they performed some special tests to confirm it. Isn't that exciting?"

 _No,_ Kisame thought, _That is most definitely not exciting._

"So I'm going to have a baby sister?" He asked, scooting over to his mother's side on the floor so he could press his face into the crook of her neck and breathe her in. Hama smelled like flowers and fresh laundry, always clean and comforting.

Hama nodded, dark eyes glowing with pride. "Kōjin and I are so excited."

Kisame scowled, burying his face deeper into his mother's shoulder upon hearing Kōjin's name. He didn't hate many people, but his stepfather was by far the worst among them. He refused to let Kisame spend time with his wife outside of birthdays and other special occasions. He probably wouldn't even let Kisame play with his baby sister and that made him mad.

 _Okay, fine,_ Kisame relented, _Maybe it was a little exciting._

Having a little sister might not be so bad. He could teach her how to catch minnows and fish frogs out of the pond behind his grandmother's house. Maybe he could even teach her to read. Kisame was a great reader. He had worked hard to learn how so that he could impress Hama.

"Will she live with you or me?" Kisame asked curiously, already planning out how he wanted to divide up his bedroom, "It can be kind of lonely with just me and Baba here."

Hama laughed heartily, shaking her head. "Oh darling, she'll be much too little to stay here with you. Your sister is going to stay with Kōjin and I."

Kisame almost wanted to pout. "But Baba is so boring!"

"Your grandmother is very wise, Kisame," Hama said gently, "You should take the time to learn from her while you still can."

Kisame grumbled and crossed his arms, but he didn't complain again. His grandmother was many things- a wise shinobi, his second mother, and an esteemed elder within their clan- yet she made for a miraculously poor teacher. Her attention span had grown short with old age and she had no interest in discussing Hama or Kisame's plan for the future. Kisame's grandmother believed that living in the moment was more important than anything else, family included. She had cut her teeth in battlegrounds before Kirigakure was even a twinkle in the eyes of its founders, trapped in a constant cycle of murder and mutiny. His grandmother held onto nothing but herself and encouraged Kisame to do the same.

Every year, he got closer and closer to her ideals, leaving his emotions buried deep inside, but there was a chink in Kisame's armor that he could never seem to shake. Kisame's love for his mother was as vast as the ocean he trained in, ever-flowing and full of life.

The birth of his little sister could do only one of two things. She could make or break Kisame, love or hate him, join him or abandon him, but no matter what Kisame knew that he would never be able to hate her.

And that was what scared him the most.

. . .

For as long as Kisame could remember, his time with his mother had been planned to a tee. He saw her on his birthdays and occasionally he got to visit her during hers, but he was never allowed at Hama's parties or their annual Christmas celebrations. He had to stay quiet and tucked away, both out of sight and out of mind. Kōjin wouldn't have it any other way.

Today was an exception though.

His mother had sent for him early in the morning before school. His grandmother had bundled Kisame up in his too-small winter coat and sent him out the door without another word, leaving him to locate the hospital on his own. She didn't want anything more to do with Kōjin's brood- Kisame was enough of a burden on his own.

Kisame found the hospital easily enough and headed to the maternity ward, keeping his eyes peeled for his mother and her familiar, fluttering chakra.

He found Kōjin's instead.

His stepfather stopped him at the door, the low-hanging hospital ceiling barely high enough to accomodate the time man's large form. Kōjin was the same height as Kisame's master, Suikazan Fuguki of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and equally as imposing. Unlike Fuguki, Kōjin had no respect for Kisame- only pure, unadulterated hatred.

 _What did I do to cause this?_ Kisame wondered as Kōjin got in his face, palming his shirt collar and yanking Kisame off his feet.

"Hama is my wife before she is your mother," Kōjin hissed, shaking Kisame a little for good measure, "You may not see my daughter until you get that through your head."

"I understand, sir," Kisame replied meekly, struggling to breathe. He just wanted to hold his baby sister, that's all. It wasn't like he was going to try and spirit Hama away.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Kōjin said, his yellow eyes dark with fury, "If I have to, you'll never see your mother again. You will be on your best behavior in that room."

Kisame gulped and lowered his eyes, feeling ashamed. "Understood, sir."

Seemingly satisfied, Kōjin tossed Kisame aside like old garbage without another word. Kisame landed smoothly on his feet just as his stepfather reached behind him to open the hospital room door with a grimace.

Hama was curled up inside, her long hair flowing freely around her waist like a mermaid as she reclined on the bed. She looked worn out yet incredibly satisfied, endlessly proud of the tiny blue bundle in her arms. She smiled kindly when Kisame walked in and he brightened, thankful that he had not already been forgotten.

"Don't be shy, darling. Come say hi," Hama beckoned, waving him over.

Kisame looked back at Kōjin for permission. The tall, brooding man only glowered at him in response.

"If you hurt her, I'll have your head," Kōjin barked.

Hama looked up at the ceiling with tired eyes as if she was asking some higher power to grant her strength.

Kisame inched forward carefully. "What's her name?"

Hama smiled softly. "Her name is Kasumi."

It was a simple, common name, but the baby in Hama's arms was anything but. Kasumi had wide, coal grey eyes that shone brightly in the dimly lit hospital room and dusky blue skin. She even had a head full of wavy, blue black hair just like Kisame's own, but that wasn't the strangest thing about her. Kisame's brand new baby sister was gripping Hama's thumb like her life depended on it, fear evident in her dark eyes.

 _Is she scared of me?_ Kisame wondered, hesitating to touch her.

"Go on," Hama said gently, "Kasumi is going to love you."

Kisame leaned forward, brushing his hand over Kasumi's forehead as softly as he could. The baby turned to blink up at him, her fear long gone, and Kisame couldn't help but smile.

"Would you like to hold her?" Hama asked, wiping her tired eyes with her free hand.

Kisame blinked, wide eyed, "Can I really?"

Hama nodded. For once, Kisame didn't bother to look back at Kōjin. His stepfather had ruined many things for Kisame. He refused to let him ruin this one too.

Hama patted an empty spot on the bed next to her, urging Kisame to come closer. He kicked off his sandals and hopped up on the thin futon beside her, taking care to avoid jostling the baby. It was hard to believe that she was real, and that she was going to be a member of his family now.

Last time Kisame had seen his mother, she had been clad in Anbu attire and trailing up the mountainside with her unit in pursuit of a criminal. Hama had barely even broken a sweat. Now, as she held her new baby, Kisame couldn't help but think that she looked weaker, like some of her life force had been ripped away. Whether that was his new sister's fault or something else entirely, he couldn't be sure. All Kisame knew was that it made him uneasy. His mother was the strongest, most beautiful woman he had ever known. There was no way a tiny baby could bring her to her knees like this.

Kisame curled up into his mother's side, pushing his worries out of his mind as he breathed her in. She smelled more sterile this time, but he still found it comforting. His mother was still there, even if she did seem a little different now.

"Are you ready to hold her?" Hama asked, straining to push herself up. Kōjin rushed to assist her, glaring at Kisame all the while.

"Yes, Mother," Kisame replied carefully, keeping his gaze trained on Kōjin's form as he spoke. The man had always been jealous and possessive, but now that Kasumi was around he was twice as snippy. Kisame knew he couldn't let his guard down for even a second now.

Even so, he was almost excited to hold his little sister. She seemed kind like his mother, and her hair was very soft. Kisame found it comforting. She might have had Kōjin's blood, but she still carried Hama's features just like Kisame did. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad with her around to play with.

"Make sure you support her head," Hama kindly reminded him, "Her skull is still developing so we have to be very careful with Kasumi for a while."

Kisame nodded eagerly, holding out his hands. Hama leaned forward to place his baby sister in his lap as delicately as she could. Kisame carefully supported her with the crook of his elbow, watching with wide eyes as Kasumi gurgled and wiggled her tiny fingers. It was almost like she was trying to speak to him.

"Um… hi," He said shyly, "I'm Kisame. I'm your big brother."

Kasumi didn't reply, but part of Kisame felt like she had understood him. Her eyes were bright and wide open, eager to take in the brand new world around them.

Hama grinned widely. "Very good, Kisame. You're a natural."

Kisame could feel a deep, purple blush spreading across his cheeks. "Thank you, mama."

Kasumi mewled softly, her tiny arms flailing slightly. Kisame brought his face closer to hers and gently bumped his nose against her forehead, just as his grandmother had done when she used to tuck him into bed every night. Kasumi quieted down instantly, gazing up at Kisame with wide eyes.

"Don't worry," Kisame said quietly, "I'll take good care of you."

And so he did.

. . .

 **Author's Note:**

This is the companion fic to my OC centric story, _Fish Out of Water._ Please feel free to go check it out if you want to learn more about Kisame and his exploits with his little sister! This story is more of an experiment than anything else, but I hope you have enjoyed reading it all the same. Kisame will become more like his usual self as he matures, so fret not!

Thanks for reading.

Much Love,

-MSM-


End file.
